Clinical evidence of growth hormone for patients undergoing abdominal surgery: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Table 5 Random effect model of standardized mean difference (95%CI) in improving postoperative nitrogen balance (A) and in reducing the duration of postoperative fatigue syndrome (C) and weighted mean difference (95%CI) in decreasing the length of hospital stay (B) and in increasing blood glucose levels (D) with GH as compared with placebo

Study	Treatment	Treatment	Control	Control	Weight	WMD (random)
	n	Mean (SD)	n	Mean (SD)	%	95%CI
Barle	10	6.4 (1.00)	10	5.40 (0.50)	11.98	1 [0.31, 1.69]
Hammarqvist	8	5.6 (0.30)	9	4.80 (0.20)	20.69	0.8 [0.55, 1.05]
Jiang	9	6.17 (0.51)	9	6.06 (0.50)	16.26	0.11 [-0.36, 0.58]
Mjaaland	9	5.75 (0.43)	10	4.90 (0.30)	18.94	0.85 [0.51, 1.19]
Ponting	6	9.4 (0.70)	5	7.20 (0.50)	11.68	2.2 [1.49, 2.91]
Vara-Thorbeck 1	87	6.56 (1.02)	93	5.66 (0.71)	20.46	0.9 [0.64, 1.16]
Total (95%CI)	129		136		100	0.91 [0.56, 1.25]

Test for heterogeneity: χ² = 23.97, df = 5 (P = 0.0002), I² = 79.1%. Test for overall effect: Z = 5.13 (P < 0.00001).